Door fastener



April 14, 1925.

W. A. SCHLVEICHER DOOR FASTENER Filed Nov. 27. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WON.

April 14, 19254 w. A. scHLElcHER Doon FASTENER' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 27. 1923 Patented Apr. 14, 1925.

WILLIAM: A. sci-inmensa, or CLEVELAND, onto, assrenonro 'rien ernennen MANU-H rAoTUnrNe oo., or CLEVELAND, onto, A oonlroanrroiv 'or onto;

noon FAsfrnivEn..

Application filed November 27, 1923. Serial No. 677,207.

To all whom. it may concern:

' Be it knownthat I, lViLLrAir A. Sommer CHER, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Door Fasteners, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description.

The `present invention relates broadly to door fasteners, an-d more particularly to door fasteners adapted to maintain in closed position -a pair of doors which are disposed within the frame of a single doorway, such as the doors employed to close the rear end of a covered delivery wagon.

An object of the invention is to provide a fastener for holding avpair of doors in closed position adapted to be moved to one position to release one of said doors while maintaining the other of said doors closed and to be moved to another position to simultaneously release both of said doors.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fastener of the above type adapted to prevent rattling or vibration of the doors when held in closed position ther-eby.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown, for purposes of illustration only, one` embodiment of the present invention, it being-'understood that the drawings do not define the limits of the invention, as changes may` be made in the construction and operation therein disclosed without departing from the spirit oftheJ invention or scope of my broader claims.`

In the drawings: y

Figure 1 is a view inelevat-ion of a pair of doors mounted in a door frame and `equipped with a fastener embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1l, but showing the fastener in position to `release the right-hand door vand showing the latter door in open position;

Figure 3 is al detail view on an enlarged scale of portions of the fastener and fragA `mentary portions of the doors on which said portions are mounted; i

Figure is a sectional view on the line lV-IV of Figure 3; s

Figures 5, 6, and 7 are detail views of portions of the fasten-er; and

Figure 8 is a detail view illustrating the guide and keeper for one of the latch bolts.

edge on the outer face thereof with a 'metal strip D adapted to overlap the inner vertical edge of the door A when said V.doors are in the closed ,position thereof, shown in'Figure 1. y

My .improved fastener 'comprises an ropeating latchleverQ which ishin'gedly connected to a member 3 by means of 'a pivot pin 4. integral hollow stud 5 positioned in abore 6 extending transversely through theflefthand door A adjacent the free inner vertical edge thereof and Vapproximately `midway between the upper and lower horizontal edges of said door. `The door A `has face plates 7 and 8 positioned onlits outer and inner faces, respectively, and secured to "said door by means of bolts 9 extending through the door `and they face plates. yThese plates overlie the bore 6 andhave openings therein in alignment 'with said bore. The stud 5 The` 'right-hand The member 3 is provided Vwith an on the member 3 extends through the open- A short lever 11 is positioned onv the inner side of the door A and has'an integral slee-ve 12e`xtending through the opening in the plate 8 into the bore 6. This sleevehas a faceted interior and receives the faceted endportion 13 of the hollow stud 5. A collar' 14 is swaged on the sleeve 12 on the inner side of the plate 8, whereby the lever 11 is journaled in said plate, but is prevented from being separated therefrom. through the stud 5 and sleeve 12 and assists the bolts 9 in maintaining the plate-s 7 and 8 and theparts carried lthereby in position on the door.

rlhe rigl'it-hand door B is provi-ded with a keeper plate 16 on its outer face in alignment with the face plate 7 and secured to the door by screws 17. One end portion of the keeper plate overlies the door strip l), while the other end portion thereof is provided with. Aan integral vertically extending keeper 18 offset from and parallel to the outer face of the k-eeper plate. This keeper is provided at its upper end with an integral inwardly extending lip or shoulder 19.

The operating latch lever 2 is of channel bowed intermediate portion of the spring 'engages the en'd porti-on of the keeper plate 16 which overlies the door strip D. The positioning of the latch lever 2 behind the keeper 18 tends to straighten the spring 22 so that the latter exertsI a constant pressure against the right-hand door B and serves to keep the doors tightly closed and to prevent any rattling of the same or of the parts of the fastener. The keeper plate 16 is provided at its lower edge with a. depending outwardly offset lug 23 and the latch lever 2 is provided at its lower edge with a corresponding integral lug 24 positioned to overlie the lug 23 when the latch lever 2 is engaged with the keeper 18, as shown in Figure 3. Each of these lugs has an opening 25 therein to receive the hasp of a padlock, whereby the doors may be locked in closed position.`

Positioned on the inner side of the door A is a pair of vertically extending latch bolts 26 and 27. These latch bolts have their adjacent ends flattened and pivotally connected to the opposite ends of the lever 11 by means of pivot bolts 28 carried by the lever and extending through openings 29 in said iattened ends ofthe latch bolts. These pivot bolts have anti-friction rollers 30 mounted thereon within the openings 29, said openings being of somewhat greater diameter than the-external diameter of said rollers, whereby there is a slight amount of lost motion in the pivotal connect-ions between the latch bolts and the lever. Mounted on the inner face of the door A. adjacent the upper and lower horizont-al edges thereof is a pair of guide brackets 31 through which the latch bolts 26 and 27 entend. Interposed between each bracket and the latch boltfcooperating therewith is a bowed leaf spring 32 adapted to prevent rattling of the bolt in its keeper. The free ends of the latch bolts engage keepers 33 on the inner face of the door frame C when the parts are in the position shown either in Figure 1 or in Figure 2.

Referring to Figure G, it will be seen that Lthe face plate 7 is provided with upper and lower lugs 34 and 35. These lugs form stop kshoulders for limiting the swinging movements of the member 3 which is journaled in the plate 7.

The operation of the fastener above described is as follows: TVhen the parts yare in position 'shown in full lines yin Figure 1, both doors are held in closed position. lVith the parts in this position, if it is 'desired to open the right-hand door B while maintaining ythe left-hand door A closed, the operator will grasp the knob 2O `and* press the latch lever 2 inwardly to disengage it from the inwardly extending lip 19 on the keeper 18. He will then swing the latch lever vertically into the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, the said lever swinging about the pivotal axis of the member 3 to which it is hinged. rvWhen they latch lever has been moved into this position, it may then be swung outwardly away from the door B about its pivotal axis 4: into the position shown in Figure 2, and the door B may be swung to open posit-ion, as is also indicated in said figure. The movement of the parts into the position shown in Figure 2 will not serve to withdraw the latch bolts 26 and 27 from their keepers 33 by reason of the lost motion connections between said bolts and the lever 11. The position of the lever 11, and of the pivoted end portionsgof the latch bolts when the latch lever 2 has been moved into the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, is also lshown in dotted lines in Figure 5, by reference to which itwill be seen that the movement of the lever 1l into the angular position shown has t-aken up the l-ost motion in t-he pivotal connections between the latch bolts and the lever 11. Even if such lost motion connections were not provided, the movement of the latch lever into the dotted line position shown in Figure 1 would not move the bolts sutliciently to withdraw them from their keepers because of the fact that the angular movement of the lever 11 from the position shown in Figure 1 to the position sh-ownv in Figure 2 would effect only a. very slight longitudinal movement of the latch bolts. In order t-o release the door A, the latch lever 2 must be further swung about the pivotal axis of the member 3 sufficiently to withdraw the latch bolts 26 and 27 from the keepers 33. This will bring the member 3 against the stop 35 on the plate 7. llilhen it is desired to again Jfasten the door A in closed position, the lever 2 will be swung about the pivotal axis of the member 3 until the parts are in the position shown in Figure 2. Tf now it is desired to fasten the door B in closed position, the latch lever 2 will bey swung about its pivotal axis l until the lever is in position behind the lip 19 yon the keeper 18 and then about the pivotal axis of the member 3 to engage said leverwith said keeper.

The advantages of the present invention CII other door and also from the provision of a fastener of this character adapted to prevent all vibration or rattling o-f the doors.

I claim: Y

l. A door fastener, comprising |a latch lever adapted to be secured to a door for i pivotal movement with respect thereto about an axis located adjacent one end of the lever, keeper means for releasably securing the free end of said lever to a support, la handle mounted on the free end of said lever, a

plate spring carriedby said lever, said lever l being of channel shape in cross section with the channel facing inwardly towards the door and said spring being positioned in said channel kand having a bowed intermediate portion for engagement wit-h said support when said lever is held by said keeper means, and common means engaging said handle and one end of said spring for securing said handle and spring to said lever, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a door frame and a. pair of cooperating doors hingedly mounted therein, of afastener for holding said doors in closed position, comprising latch means mounted upon one of said doors for holding said door in closed position and including a member mounted for pivotal movement about either of two axes, and a keeper mounted upon the other door for cooperation with said member for holding the latter door in closed position, said member being adapted to be first moved :about one of said axes to release it lfrom said keeper, then aboutthe other of said axes to permit such last mentioned door to be swung to open position and then tobe furthermoved about the first axis to release the first mentioned door, substantially as described.

The combination with a. door frame and a pair of cooperating doors hingedly mounted therein, of a. fastener' for holding said doors in closed position, comprising a latch lever mounted upon one of said doors for swinging movement either about an axis at right angles to the plane of the door or outwardly from the door about an axis parallel to the plane thereof, a latch bolt operatively connected to said latch lever, for cooperation with said door frame for holding said door in closed position, and a keeper mounted upon the other of said doors and iadapted to cooperate with said latch lever for holding the latter door in closed position, said latch lever being adapted to be swung about said first mentioned axis to release it from the keeper on the last mentioned door, then about the last mentioned axis to permit the last lmentioned door to be swung to open position, and then'totbe further swung about'said first mentioned axis to release the first mentioned door, lsubstantially as described.

4. The combination with a door frame'and a pair of cooperating doors hingedly mounted therein, of a fastener for holding said doors in closed position, comprisinga latch levermounted upon one of said doors for swinging movement either about an axis at right angles to the plane of the door or outwardly from the door about an axis parallel thereto, a plurality of latch bolts Carried by said door and operatively connected to said `latch lever, keeper means on the door frame for cooperation with said latch `bolts for holding said door in closed position, and a keeper mounted upon the other of said doors and adapted to cooperate with said latch lever for holding the latter` door in closed position, said latch lever being adaptedto be swung about the first mentioned axis to release it from the keeper on the last mentioned door, thenl about the last mentioned axis to permit the last mentioned door to be swung to open position, and then to be further swung about the firstmentioned axis to withdraw said latch bolts from their keepers and thereby release the first mentioned door, substantially as described.

5. A fastener for a pair of swinging doors, comprising a member adapted to be jourknaled in one of said doors, a latch lever "plvoted at one end to said member for swingpermit it to be swung about its other pivotal i axis to enable the last `mentioned door to be swung to open position and then to be further swung about the pivotal axis of said member to release said latch bolts from the frame and permit the first mentioned door to be swung to open position, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a door frame and a pair of cooperating doors hingedly mounted therein, of a fastener for holding said doors in closed position, comprising alatch lever mounted upon one side of one of said doors for swinging movement either about an axis at right angles to the plane of the door or outwardly from the door about an axis parallel thereto, a latch bolt mounted upon the other side of said door for coopera-- tion with the door frame for holding said door in closed position and having a lostmotion operative connection with said lever, and a keeper mounted upon the other of said doors and adapted lto cooperate With said latch lever for holding the latter door in' 10 mentioned door, then about the last mentioned axis to Apermit the last mentioned door to be swung to open position, and then to be further swung about the irst mentioned axis to operate the latch bolt and thereby` release the first mentioned door, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM A.' SGHLEIGHER. 

